Principals, Teachers Criticise Rush To Scrap Corporal Punishment

The National Principals’ Association (NPA) and the Saint Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU) have both criticized the Ministry of Education’s rush to scrap corporal punishment in schools.

At a joint news conference Wednesday, the Presidents of both organisations flatly denied assertions by the ministry that there had been consultation on the move.

They indicated that principals and teachers were invited to meetings after the fact.

SLTU President, Julian Monrose, told reporters that corporal punishment has been part of the school system since its inception.

He acknowledged the right of the ministry to scrap the practice.

“However, if you are going to withdraw it, you would want to put systems in place and give the teachers skills training in alternative forms of punishment, because bad behavior a problem in our schools,” Monrose told reporters.

He said notification of the intention to suspend and eventually abolish corporal punishment in schools came as a shock.

Monrose said that the SLTU is concerned that the ministry would act with such haste on the issue of corporal punishment, but appears to be powerless when it comes to violence among students.

“Nothing is happening when it comes to security in schools,” he lamented, adding that almost on a daily basis students go to school with weapons, including guns, knives and scissors.

The SLTU President recalled that the union had requested that the ministry of education address the issue of security in schools, and would have liked to see the same haste in addressing corporal punishment demonstrated in addressing security concerns.

NPA President, Pauline Antoine Prospere, told Monday’s news conference that she did not believe principals have a problem with the abolition of corporal punishment, but asserted that change takes time.

“There should be adequate consultation with stakeholders if this were to happen,” the NPA President explained.

Both the NPA and the SLTU expressed concern about the limited number of counsellors available in the school system and other support mechanisms,

The ministry of education has indicated its intention to stop corporal punishment in schools by May 1, 2020.

16 COMMENTS

Surely these educated people do not support domestic violence and can see the injustice of a man beating a woman ( or vice versa ) so how can they not see the injustice of an adult beating a child?
Corporal punishment is NOT DISCIPLINE. It is ABUSE. They surely can not sit there and offer that they support systematic abuse of children? Can they not read? There is so much research on the ineffectiveness and negative results of corporal punishment inflicted on children in schools.
If these are the leaders, we are in big trouble still for a long time. Please lord, help us bring St. Lucia to the current century.

savages will be savage. Too lazy to take the time to explain and reason with children, which in time breeds mindless, brutal people who know how to express them self through rage and anger. Children deserve respect as well. So sad that negros cant treat their own like crap. Time to wake up, get off the plantations and behave like citizens of the world.

First to begin with this abolishment of corporal punishments in schools need to be revised properly…. I believe this decision was taken up to quickly and there is no talk or negotiations going on with beefed up security at school. ( not forgetting the incidents of recent tines where children are coming to school with weapons, or attacking teachers)do we not care about those who leave their home on a daily basis to take care of these children, where they spend almost their whole youth from day care to tertiary education with them. The teachers should have a say too and should be negotiating this. Secondly, why are we complaining about what is going on with our children of today and their disturbed attitudes where most end up dead and still want to encourage this law or amendment. Let’s forget about what the wider world think for a while and think of this tiny nation who maybe in 30 yrs time stand a chance of being over populated. What’s going to happen to our children and children’s children. They need to take a look deep into the US and see what is happening as there is no corporal punishments in schools. Parents on the other hand need to understand and work with the teachers. Yes some might be in support of the teachers corrections and discipline but there at sothers who detest without proper reasonment and support their children. Where is the love and understanding parents. Where is the appreciation and respect for the school relmn. Why are some of parents so selfish sometimes it could be they have been abused in school and do not want it to happen to their child but we NEED to ask our selves do we really know the meaning of “ABUSE” to understand what corporal punishments. We as parents also need to sit and examine ourselves and attitudes to see exactly where we are going wrong in raising our kids and do not be ashamed to ask for help. Teachers now on the other who come to work with children on a daily basis have to understand that they are on a regular clockwork with about 50-60 different group type of characters and personalities and must know how to target a child and depending on the character you prepare yourself to to deal with this child. It doesn’t help when you as the teacher come to school upset and pass it over to a child just because this child Is disgusting or disruptive in class. Some teachers do it for the money like its kool I come to work everyday if I teach n they want to learn they will if not let them do what what they want. On one condition you cannot blame that particular attitude of the teacher but its her duty to ensure that she teach and handle or head her class ther e are other children apart from those disruptive charcters that want to learn. It takes a lot to raise a child and some parents fail their children and leave it up to the school to teach the child proper values. Its not an easy job being a principal or teachers these days and I understand that but you are the ones who went to school on how to nuture growing children and parents are taught to bring up a child in the right way. The bigger countries have other avenues or legislation to support this abolishment and others but we are not ready for this in the peak of all his violence in schools on the streets, in homes and wider nation. I think they should think this over cause beatings never killed anyone of us when we were young it actually made use better ppl. Those who refuse to comply I am sure somewhere inside grudge and hate is the reason for their drop outs and behaviours. We were taught back then in schools and homes about how to uphold your character in a mannered and reapectful way is that happening now. There are still many more things to mention for review but I hope the key starts they picked up at least

I concur with Am I Right and Cat. As a parent of a Grade 4 student, I also support this move 1000%. The reality is that the vast majority of our educators and adults in general, lack self-control and are unskilled in the management of children. They seem to conveniently forget that they too were once a child and may have very well exhibited the same or similar or even worse character flaws that they find to be so appalling in their students. Owing to the mere fact they are still progressing toward full maturity, children are in need of guidance and direction and cannot be expected to conduct themselves as perfect little saints.

Discipline, in whatever form must always be administered in love and with a composed and caring demeanor, as opposed to disdain and rage which appears to be the order of the day. And furthermore, why are our educators so pre-occupied with the flogging of our children? Don’t you people have your own kids to spank? There are many other methods of discipline that are not borderline abusive and can elicit more effective results. It is no wonder why our youth are so angry and violent and lack conflict resolution skills. I say a resounding kudos to the Ministry of Education. Let our teachers first learn self-control and emotional intelligence, then seek to replicate this in their students.

I give it to you Mr Monrose, the Ministry should have consulted all stake holders on this decision to scrap corporal punishment in schools. But corporal punishment is physical, emotional, psychological and mental abuse in my opinion and it should be stopped. The issue here is whether parents have the skills to raise well rounded children who will be model citizens and whether teachers have the skills to deal with students who are particularly difficult. Does our society have what it takes to guide every citizen to be effective and production citizens? Children will explore and push boundaries at times, it’s how we learn and explore our environment. Corporal punishment negates all this. It is an implement of control and domination, a throw back to barbarity and slavery.

AGAIN I WILL STATE, THE ISSUE HERE IS FOR GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE A PROGRAM OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL ENSURE EVERY CITIZEN HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF BEING AN EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR SOCIETY. IT MUST START IN THE HOMES, WITH MOTHERS AND FATHERS TO LEARN PARENTAL SKILLS,ECT ECT ECT…. IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THEIR VALUE THEY BRING TO THAT COMMUNITY ETC ETC. ETC… THEN THE SCHOOLS…EVERY SAINT LUCIAN SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST A SECONDARY LEVEL EDUCATION….ECT..ECT..ECT
The list could be rather long so I have opted to be short.. But we must change our way of doing things and find a more progressive alternative….

Mrs Tucker, Instead of just writing a blank statement and I use you quotation
“There are many other methods of discipline that are not borderline abusive and can elicit more effective results”
why don’t you write at least 2 or 3 of these other methods which you say “can elicit more effective results” and give the teachers some help in administering discipline in the schools. It is easy to write platitudes but they are useless if they are not helpful in changing a situation. Make a comment again this time give an example of the method they can try using. Be helpful !!

Corpal punishment in school must be abolished. But there MUST be some form of disciplining and there should have been consultion with teachers, principals, the students body and parents and guardian. We need to understand what teachers are going thru on a daily basis. Most of us have one or two children and it’s sometime so difficult to get them to listen.but we expect those teachers to be able to cope with about 20 to 30 children, from different backgrounds in one classroom. What kind of training do these teachers get, to help them deal with unruly children? What has the ministry put in place for teachers to discipline children? When children know that you can’t discipline them, they will push, they will push to the limit because it’s in they nature. It don’t mean they are bad children, but they will do it. Parents don’t make it any easier for teachers. They complain and sometime want to fight with teachers when they discipline their children, even when they know they children are unruly.

for once we should work with the mjnistry of education to make schools a more child friendly environment. if everytine we act againsr the polices of the education system we will remain the same place
if we keep doing the same thjngs all the time we will get the same results
lets embrace change and give it a chance to manifest. if it doesnt work we can rebut aginst this decision and move on
but i believe that corporal punishment enforces the same inappropriate behaviour we wish not to see in children
beating a child enforces crime and violence in society
it means its right to correct behaviourd by violence means

What about teachers who have kids at their schools some dont even send their kids to the school that they teach becausethey don want them to see how the abuse peoples children your kid and their kid does something wrong they beat only your child teachers spoil each others kids in class they always got higher scores in test when common entrance now where teachers dont correct the papers any more its conputer they cant cheat for the family now u c their flaws i say not beating on peoples children they are not slaves and most of the teachers need beating themselves long ago teaching was for people who LOVED KIDS now its to get the Dr Police men etc when i was at secondary school the teachers use to say they dont have to waste their time to teach cause their sallery will still b paid some people b come teachers b cause the were abused by teachers at school and get that position just to do the same and worse some even insults people children these teachers now need more schooling to educate them on how to treat and care for kids cause they’re the ones creating these monsters not only parents i knew of teachers who used fun ways to help their class improve and at the end of the the school year no one want to go to another teacher class cause the environment is divverend u have teachers who would pass their home problems on peoples kids sombody can take anotherpersons life and go sit in prison and enjoy their life living large everything for free here you have to pay for food in schoolpay for education theyre even given education for free in prison thats y there is so much crimes the utes rather live lavishly at the 5 star hotel bordelaise none sense st lucia is too damn backwards and yall want to beat on peoles children nonesense st lucia independent and she cant make her own decisions not even the counsellors that are educated enough for their jobs leave the peoples children alone go beat yall own

You see all of you people that say corporal punishment is a no no in school are just hypocrites you’ll know that you’ll cah take care of you’ll own darn children and want other to take the hit on raising them good for you’ll smh I truly say don’t talk to you’ll unmannerly children and think that others will I say beat the hell out of those brats and if their lift their hands back at you’ll teacher hit it so hard even their parents will feel it I don’t like the fact that kids are being hit at schools but sometimes those children just need to bang they head hard on the desk and fock them up abusive I went through the same and look at me now I own my very business and doing well thank u to those teachers who beat me and taught me well thank you once again Mr. Weeks

Look at America and their children is it how we want to be.my people let’s come together as one and help our children to become model citizens and well rounded people without outside influence. We call ourselves independent so let act that way with god as the head.
Not only the heads of government but everyone of us let’s make our country what it was

It is written which father does not discipline his children. The problem does start with the parenting in homes and the lack of father’s in homes. It spills over to the schools. But our nations real problem is what our children are exposed to his television and the internet. These unruly songs and movies and internet ills have influenced our children greatly in being indisciplined. Also what they say in the community and country and world. So teachers are burdened now with these mindset of young kids which are displayed in schools since they spend 5 days a week in school about 6 hours. Only a nation turning back to God is of real significance and impact to change lives. Peace and love!

ST. LUCIA TIMES is a news website owned by the public relations company Big Feat Media. Our aim is to provide Saint Lucians and others at home and abroad with professional, accurate, reliable and unbiased news and information with a special focus on Saint Lucia while maintaining our high website standards and professionalism. View our Privacy Policy.